The Japanese stock market has finished lower in two straight sessions, sinking more than 1,200 points or 2 percent in that span. The Nikkei now sits just above the 59,280-point plateau although it's expected to see support on Friday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets is upbeat, thanks to strong earnings news and receding crude oil prices. The European and U.S. markets were firmly higher on Thursday and the Asian bourses are expected to follow suit.
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May 01, 2026 15:54 ET Central banks dominated the economics news flow this week with almost all major ones announcing their latest policy decisions and many boosted expectations for a rate hike in June. In other news, several countries released the preliminary data for first quarter economic growth. In the U.S., comments by Fed Chair Jerome Powell were also in focus as his term ends this month.